This invention relates to an apparatus for packaging trees from an otherwise spread condition, such as in the case with Christmas trees, and deals more particularly with an improvement in such devices whereby a simplified, low cost, reliable and mechanically efficient apparatus is used to package such trees in environments and in conditions which may be adverse.
Mechanisms for packaging Christmas trees in compressed form are desirable because in such a compressed form, shipping of trees in large quantities can be effected, such as between a tree farm and distribution points in a local marketing area. Mechanisms for packaging Christmas trees or the like are known in the art. Such packaging is accomplished by using an open mesh netting or sock which receives a corresponding length of tree as the tree is moved through a compressing funnel. This netting allows the tree to breathe while simultaneously holding it in its compressed form. Also, once the trees are brought to the lot or site where sales are to be made, the trees must be unpackaged for purposes of viewing by a potential buyer, unless purchase is to be made cite unseen which is not usually the case with the purchasing of Christmas trees or trees used for other aesthetic purposes. In the case of Christmas tree purchases, once a tree is selected, it is usually somehow tied down onto the vehicle, packed into the trunk or the vehicle interior. Such arrangements have been known to cause breakage of branches as well as causing safety problems in the case where the tree breaks away from the vehicle. As an alternative to such a mode of handling, the trees may be repackaged again for transport by the user to their home at the point of sale. Thus, packaging apparatus are more and more becoming prevalently found at points of sales of trees as well as being commonly found at farms where packaging for mass shipment occurs normally.
Apparatus for compressing and packaging trees are known in the art. One such mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,720,055, issued to Morris on Oct. 11, 1955. In the mechanism disclosed in this patent, a tree is drawn through a loading tube starting at the base and proceeding upwardly thereof to cause the tree to be compressed and to flex the branches of the tree inwardly as it is moved endwise therethrough. The mechanism used to move the tree endwise through the loading tube is a rack and pinion drive which is adapted so as to move a rack longitudinally along length of the apparatus by a pinion gear acting against the rack through suitable power transmission means. The rack is in turn connected to an arm which is attached to the base of the tree to cause it to be pulled through the loading tube. The use of a rack bar and pinion drive as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,720,055, is problematic in that the costs associated with machining the rack adds significantly to the overall manufacturing cost of the machine. Additionally, the rack must itself be moved the entire stroke length required to pull the tree through the loading tube which adds to the power requirement needed to effect such tree movement. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,434, issued to Woserau et al. on Dec. 17, 1968, a Christmas tree loader apparatus is disclosed wherein the mechanism for moving a tree endwise of a funnel is an endless chain drive mounted between two end drive sprockets at either end of the mechanism. Such chain drives require frequent lubrication and often have limited capacity to pull large trees through the compressing funnel.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a low cost highly mechanically efficient and reliable powered tree packaging apparatus which is capable of being used either in the context of large scale farms or at points of sale.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a tree packaging apparatus of the aforementioned type wherein previously expensive and mechanically inefficient drive mechanisms are eliminated to effect smoother more reliable drive motion of a tree pulled endwise through a compressing funnel.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a tree packaging apparatus of the aforementioned type wherein the mechanism used for packaging trees is made capable of working in environmentally adverse conditions through simplicity of function.